On a pilgrimage to save the human race from lackluster Snaps and IG posts, Herschel’s resident bro (at least one of them—the other being Herschel co-founder and sibling Jamie Cormack) Lyndon Cormack flew to Manila, and flew around the metro on a helicopter all trigger-happy to help introduce a new hashtag: #CityLimitless.
Designed to showcase different cities, celebrate good design and architecture, and instill a sense of discovery, the hashtag is quickly becoming an avenue for street photographers (“I’d actually rather call them street artists,” offers Lyndon) to feature their craft.
From enjoying hole-in-the-wall dining spots to glorifying one’s daily commute, the campaign inspires a community to crave travel and new experiences. “You learn a lot just through social media when you land in a city: where do you go for dinner, where this awesome photo was taken, and where do all the people go.”
So the first thing you do? Instagram. “We went to Intramuros and after that we rode the jeepney—I think the one I rode was fake though, all the other jeepneys had so many people inside and mine only had six or eight,” quips Lydon of his afternoon spent seeing Manila’s funky marriage of old and new design.
He also mentions two other places he gratefully found via the app: the American Cemetery and Yardstick Coffee in Makati. Of the former, Lyndon tells, “I looked it up on geolocate, and it was pretty awesome.” Of the latter, he observes, “It’s a contemporary art café.”
Asked whether the Herschel bag was designed primarily as a travel accessory that complemented the #CityLimitless campaign, the co-founder grinned and relayed a funny truth: “The bag is meant for travel, whether it’s you going to a ski resort or a beach resort, or you simply going to work. You’ve got 100 people [from Herschel] inspired by the culture of travel and that just shows in our collection.”
Photos by Acushla Obusan